The Student Becomes the Master
by Sehanine
Summary: Severus is shocked that Harry is capable of teaching Potions.


Written for round 6 of the QLFC

Team: Pride of Portree

Position: Seeker

Prompt: January - Severus Snape

* * *

Becoming a ghost was not the worst thing to happen to Severus Snape. Being forced to spend the rest of his existence stuck in a dungeon watching Harry Potter teaching Potions was.

How the boy had been hired, Severus had no idea. Perhaps he hadn't been the worst in the class, but he had been far from the best, and there were a considerable number of applicants better suited to the position than he would ever be.

"He scored quite highly when Horace was teaching," Flitwick reasoned. "Perhaps he simply improved."

"That is impossible," Severus sneered. "The only reason he performed well that year was-" The book.

Severus was amazed that he had forgotten. Admittedly he had other things on his mind that year, between the Dark Lord's rapid ascent to power and Dumbledore's declining health, but Potter being a nuisance was usually something he took care to remember.

The Half-Blood Prince's potion book had better instructions for most sixth-year potions, as well as notes for how those alterations could be applied to other potions. It was quite possible that Potter was still using that book to cheat.

Severus floated down toward the dungeons as fast as he could, translucent cloak flowing behind him. He was still an imposing sight, and his incorporeal nature only made him better at appearing out of nowhere. He planned on using those skills immediately.

Passing directly through the wall into the classroom, Severus hovered silently behind the annoying professor. His eyes skimmed the desk and immediately noticed the concealment charm on what appeared to be an empty space in the centre.

"Potter," Snape said quietly, smirking to himself as the professor leapt from his chair in surprise. "Kindly remove the concealment charm from my text book immediately."

Harry sighed and flicked his wand in the direction of the desk. Severus had expected more of an argument, but he supposed during a second year potions class was probably not the best time for an argument.

The book was sitting on the desk, slightly worse for wear than he remembered it, but still clearly his.

"I doubt Professor Flitwick will be impressed when I inform him that a member of staff is using a cheat sheet in order to teach his classes," Severus drawled, keeping his voice low enough that the students wouldn't hear. He had some sense of decorum, after all.

"Can we discuss this after class?" Harry asked, ignoring the taunt better than he would have been able to as a student.

"Certainly, Potter. Until then, I believe I shall observe your teaching methods," Severus replied, not moving from his position behind the desk.

"Like you ever do anything else," Harry muttered, annoyance flickering behind his glasses.

Snape did not respond, but he knew that Harry was wrong. He rarely observed his teaching, preferring to focus on the current students, rather than the boy he had hated in life.

Harry walked around the room, observing potions and making occasional notes on a scroll of parchment. Sometimes he would bend down to whisper something unintelligible to a student, who would then rush to correct something. Harry would then smile encouragingly at them, a technique Severus had never found to work in his favour when he had been teaching.

Once the lesson was over, Harry dismissed his students before lounging in the chair behind the desk.

"Well then? Going to get me fired?" He asked, impertinent as ever.

"I can see no reason not to report this," Severus replied. "You clearly do not possess either the knowledge nor the required skill to teach this class. Your students deserve a competent teacher, not an idiot who is only barely capable of reading the book from which he is stealing his lessons."

"Competent like you were, you mean?" Harry enquired, and Severus could see the fury he had always failed to conceal during their Occlumency lessons. "Harsh and unforgiving, threatening to poison us at least once a year, more if you were in a really bad mood. Telling us to brew the potion from the textbook, with no actual instructions from you. Insulting us and punishing us for things we hadn't actually done, and rewarding your own house for bullying?"

None of these were new complaints to Severus. He had heard them all before, multiple times. He had to concede that they were not entirely incorrect. However, it stung to hear them coming from the person he had most resented teaching in the first place. Criticism from a peer was one thing, but coming from an enemy, that was different.

"Then tell me, Potter. How are you any better? Surely you cannot tell me that your instructions are helpful, considering you do not have any understanding of the theory behind it."

"Actually, Professor, you explained the theory quite well in your notes. Turns out you're not a terrible teacher in writing. I've learnt more from that one book than I did in five years of your lessons.

"To answer your question, my instructions are helpful because they are clear and simple, and I can and will expand on them if a student is struggling. I help them as a class, and individually if they need it, and I explain things in terms that I would have understood at their age, rather than expecting them all to be able to think like Potions Masters when they're only kids! To put it simply, I actually teach."

Severus did not have a response to that. It was true that he had never particularly wanted his job, but had he truly been that poor of a teacher? It was something he would need to think on further, perhaps discuss with his colleagues one night.

"So, are you going to report me?"

Severus looked at the boy, or rather, the man sitting in front of him. His tone was defiant but his eyes… his eyes held only fear. Fear of Severus? Or fear of the consequences? Severus found that neither option gave him much pleasure after hearing him speak with such passion.

"Not immediately, no." Harry looked shocked, and Severus smiled. "I will continue to observe the lessons. If you have truly learnt from my book as you say you have, then I see no need to report you. However, if I discover you are simply reading my private notes aloud, then I will not hesitate to inform Professor Flitwick and have you dismissed."

Harry opened his mouth to respond, but Severus cut him off, not wishing to be thanked.

"Oh, and congratulations on the birth. Your second child, I believe."

This time, Harry smirked, and Severus found he did not like the expression at all.

"Thank you, Sir. I think you'll appreciate the name we chose."


End file.
